In the email dated Nov. 8 from McQueary's Penn State account and made available to The Associated Press by his friend on Tuesday, the assistant coach writes that he stopped the sexual assault and discussed it with police afterward.

"I am getting hammered for handling this the right way ... or what I thought at the time was right,'' he says. "I had to make tough impacting quick decisions.''

An email seeking comment from McQueary was not immediately answered.

Sandusky, a retired Penn State assistant coach, is accused of sexually assaulting eight boys over a 15-year span.